This invention relates generally to tracking devices and, more particularly, to a tracking system for use with an arrow such that the arrow may be located and retrieved after being shot with a bow or crossbow.
Bow hunters have a desire to locate and retrieve arrows that have been shot while hunting, especially because of the expense of replacement arrows and also for the convenience of not having to acquire new arrows. In addition, most hunters consider it inhumane to allow an animal to wander away with an arrow lodged in its body after being shot. Locating shot arrows can be very difficult in that a hunting arrow may include a camouflage color pattern that blends in with surrounding brush, the arrow may have traveled a relatively long distance after missing its intended target, or the arrow is lodged in an animal that is able to run away—the arrow being most likely to stay in the animal if shot quartering away).
Various devices have been proposed in the art for tracking the location of a shot arrow. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices and patent proposals do not provide a serialized radio insert assembly as well as a separate handheld tracking unit capable of tracking multiple arrows simultaneously and without confusion.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a tracking system for use with an arrow that includes a transmitter positioned in a housing that is capable of insertion into an arrow. Further, it would be desirable to have a tracking system having a receiver positioned in a case for receiving signals from the transmitter indicative of a location of the transmitter. In addition, it would be desirable to have a tracking system that is able to track multiple arrows according to respective unique identifiers.